Take a Chance on Me
by Erin Salvatore
Summary: AU/AH. The Gilbert family has trained horses for generations and now, Elena has inherited her family's ranch. One day, she receives a visit from Damon Salvatore, who expresses an interest in buying one of her horses. However, his intentions are more toward her. Will she fall for him? Only time will tell.
1. Chapter 1

**Take a Chance on Me**

**by Erin Salvatore**

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Vampire Diaries. I'm just borrowing.**

_**Note: Okay, I just thought of this great idea for a Delena AU/AH. The plot is this: The Gilbert family has trained horses for generations, and now, Elena has inherited her family's stables. One day, she receives a visit from Damon Salvatore, who is interested in buying one of her horses. However, his intentions are more toward Elena. Will she fall for him? Time will tell.**_

_**Don't ask, I wanted to try something different.**_

**Chapter 1**

_Gilbert Stables..._

Elena Gilbert smiled as she stepped out onto the porch that morning. She had always enjoyed this time of day, ever since she was a little girl. One of her fondest memories was when her mother, Miranda, used to sing to her while braiding her hair. But, ever since the fatal car crash that claimed the lives of both Miranda and her husband, Grayson, last year, Elena was now left to hold everything together. True, she had the help of her aunt, Jenna Sommers, as well as the hired hands, but Elena sometimes questioned her ability to run the stables that her family owned and run since well before she was born.

Sighing, Elena looked out onto the horizon, taking in the fresh air and feeling the sun as it touched her cheek as gently as a lover. After a few minutes, she went back inside. Today, she felt, was going to be pretty eventful, and she wanted to face it head on, she couldn't waste time.

Although she never imagined that she'd be running a ranch at twenty-two, Elena did it for the honor of her family, and for the memories that this place still had for her. Memories that she would hold sacred forever. Grabbing some clean clothes out of her room, Elena went into the bathroom and, removing her robe and nightshirt, turned on the water in the shower, stepped inside and washed her hair and body. Then, once she was done, she got out, dressed and dried her hair, putting it into a ponytail before heading into the kitchen for breakfast.

However, when she got there, Elena saw Jenna sitting at the table, looking worried about something.

"Jenna, what is it?"

Jenna looked at her niece. "There's a man here for you. He came in while you in the shower and I had him wait in the living room."

Elena scowled. That was strange, she didn't remember receiving a phone call from anyone. "Who is he? Did he say?"

"No," said Jenna. "I asked, but he said you would know him."

Elena was confused, but she knew that she wouldn't get any answers until she spoke to her mystery guest. Excusing herself from the kitchen, Elena went to the living room, where a man was indeed waiting for her. A rather handsome man at that, with short, sleek black hair that the sun was catching in at that moment, icy blue eyes that were piercing through to her soul, a body that was being hugged in all the right places by the suit he was wearing, and lips that were ideal for kissing and nibbling.

_Shit, it must be illegal to be that handsome,_ she thought. _I'll bet he has women lined up for miles just to get into his bedroom._

Quickly, she shook her head to rid herself of any impure thoughts she might be having about this man she hardly knew and cleared her throat.

"You wanted to see me?"

The man smiled at her. "Yes, ma'am, I did. I apologize for the intrusion, but I had to see you on a very important matter."

Elena raised an eyebrow. "Okay. But, would it be too much trouble to know your name before we discuss anything? I don't do business with someone whose name I have yet to find out."

The man laughed at that. "Sorry, I forgot my manners. I'm Damon Salvatore."

"Elena Gilbert. Wait, did you just say Salvatore? You wouldn't happen to be related to the family that owns the ranch a little ways down from here, would you?"

Damon smiled. "Guilty as charged. That ranch has been in my family for generations, just like yours has, Miss Gilbert. And, up until recently, we have had a generous population of horses in our stables. Unfortunately, though, most of them were either sold to other places, or they died, and since I'm the new owner of the place, I was looking to maybe buy a horse from you."

"You don't have to be formal with me," said Elena. "You can call me Elena. In fact, I prefer it." Curiously, she added, "And why are you interested in buying one of my horses? I mean, you could always get some from an auction."

"I could, but the trouble with auctions is that sometimes, they get horses that aren't exactly top quality," said Damon. "No, Elena, I prefer to get my horses from people who understand the meaning of top quality. People like you, for instance."

Elena still didn't see what he was going at, but decided against it. _Best not to ask too many questions. Besides, he sounds like he knows what he wants. Might as well show him the barn and let him pick out the horse he wants to buy._

"Mr. Salvatore, I..."

"Call me Damon. You just got done telling me not to be formal with you, so you can do the same with me," said Damon. "Besides, Mr. Salvatore was my father's name, and it makes me sound older than I really am."

"Okay, Damon it is," said Elena. "Anyway, I was about to ask you if you'd like to come with me to the barn so that you can see the horses and pick out the one that you're interested in."

"I'd love to," said Damon. "A good businessman always looks at what he wishes to purchase." _Though, it's not really horses I'm interested in, _his thoughts added. _I'm way more interested in you._

Elena nodded and escorted him out of the house and to the barn that housed the horses that lived on the ranch. Damon was in awe of the selection she had, and they all seemed to be well taken care of. As they continued to walk, he found himself admiring just how beautiful Elena was. Her long, dark brown hair, although it was tied up at that moment, seemed so soft and silky, and he was tempted to run his fingers through it. Her eyes were a deep brown, like chocolate, and seemed to shimmer. Hell, he could imagine caressing her body as he made slow, tender love to her in his bed, as well as kissing and nibbling her succulent lips.

"See anything you like?"

Damon was tempted to say, "I'm looking at her right now," but refrained from expressing his thoughts, not wanting to spook her. Instead, he said, "The black stallion over there is magnificent. A fine addition to my stables."

Elena blinked as she looked at the horse in question, which had his head out of the stall. "You're interested in Phantom? But, I've been hesitant to sell him. You see, he came to us from a place where he wasn't treated fairly. His previous owner nearly killed him, that was how abused he was."

"If you ask me, whoever subjected him to such treatment should be horse whipped," said Damon. "I believe that animals should be treated with decency, dignity, and respect." He nodded at the horse. "Mind if I pet him?"

"He...doesn't really let anyone touch him other than the people who clean his stall."

"Well, maybe he can make an exception for me," said Damon. "Don't worry, I won't hurt him."

Elena was about to protest, but Damon was heading toward the stall. She saw that he had a slow and quiet way of walking, which was a good thing, especially to a nervous horse. She didn't take her gaze off him as he gently stroked Phantom's nose. Elena wasn't sure how he'd react, but Phantom allowed Damon to touch him, which was amazing.

"Damon, I'm impressed," she said. "It's as though he knows you already."

"It's probably because he knows I'm not going to hurt him," said Damon. "So, how much are you asking for him?"

"Well, he was a rescue, so the price doesn't matter," said Elena. "But, if you want, I could give him to you for $20,000."

"That much, huh?" said Damon. "Well, I'd say you've got yourself a deal." He smiled as he looked at her. "I know this sounds forward of me, but I was wondering if you'd like to join me for dinner, say, tomorrow evening at my mansion?"

Elena blinked at this. Was he serious? Dinner? Just because she sold him a horse? "Damon, I don't think that's really necessary."

"I insist," said Damon. "I believe in maintaining relationships long after a business deal is made." _And I'd definitely like to have a relationship with you, in more ways than one._

Elena tried to come up with an excuse, but the words burned in her throat. Shaking her head, she sighed and said, "All right, I'll have dinner with you. But, only because you insisted on it."

Damon smiled and, taking her hand, he kissed her knuckles like a gentleman. "Until tomorrow evening then, Elena." He went to walk away, but before he did, he said, "Oh, and bring the horse with you. I'll have my ranch hands prepared his stall for him during the day so that it's all ready for him."

Elena said nothing, just nodded. She didn't know what she was getting herself into, but something told her that she wouldn't find out until she actually went to the dinner at Damon's mansion.

_**Note: Thus begins another Delena AU/AH. There will be romance in here as the story progresses. For now, I wanted our leads to meet.**_

_**What do you think? Reviews are love!**_


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Vampire Diaries. I'm just borrowing.**

_**Note: Previously, in "Take a Chance on Me," Elena Gilbert receives a visit from Damon Salvatore, who, after buying a horse she rescued, asks her to dinner at his mansion the next evening.**_

_**Thank you for the wonderful reviews so far! You guys are awesome!**_

_Salvatore Mansion, Salvatore Ranch – Later..._

Damon whistled happily to himself as he walked into the mansion. He felt proud of himself, and for good reason. He had not only bought a new horse, but he also had made a dinner date. Things were really shaping for him, he could tell. He hadn't had a woman over for dinner since he was still dating Caroline Forbes, which was in college. The last he heard of her, she was engaged to an artist named Klaus Mikaelson.

"Well, you're certainly cheerful, Damon."

Damon was startled out of his reverie and looked to see his brother, Stefan, sitting in the parlor. "Why, yes, brother, I am. I not only made a successful purchase, but I also got a date. So, you might want to call Katherine and see what her plans for tomorrow night. I want this to be extra special."

Stefan raised an eyebrow. "You got a date in addition to buying a new horse for the ranch?"

"I sure did," said Damon. "She's an angel, Stefan, an absolute angel. Her name is Elena Gilbert."

Stefan's eyes went wide at the mention of Elena's name. "Wait, did you just say Elena Gilbert?"

"Yeah," said Damon. "She inherited the Gilbert ranch last year." He gave his brother a curious look. "Why?"

"Damon, this is going to sound strange, but you guys already met. Years ago, at a party Mom and Dad threw," said Stefan. "I don't remember exactly what the occasion was, but we definitely threw a party, and the Gilberts were invited."

"We already met?" said Damon. "But, that's impossible. She would've _remembered_ me if that was the case."

"I'm not lying," said Stefan. "You and Elena just reunited after all these years and she doesn't even know it. For all she knows, you're just someone who bought a horse from her and then asked her out. How did she react when you told her your name?"

"She asked me if I was related to the Salvatore family." It was here that it dawned on him. "Holy shit, Stefan, you're right. She really doesn't remember meeting me back then. Then again, she was a little girl at the time, and we didn't associate with each other that much at the party. But, I did ask her to dance. You know, to be polite."

"There, you see? She was the girl you danced with then," said Stefan. "Who'd have guessed that your paths would cross again?"

"Well, who's to say being here won't bring back memories of that one moment we had together as innocent children?"

Stefan smiled. "Ah, but who's to say it _will_?"

Damon scoffed. "Regardless of nostalgia, Elena agreed to have dinner here with me tomorrow night, and whether she remembers me or not, I'll just take it as it comes." Clearing his throat, he added, "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to tell the hands that a new horse is coming and to prepare a stall for him."

Not giving Stefan a chance to answer, Damon turned around and headed outside.

_Gilbert Ranch – That Same Moment..._

Elena walked into the house, still reeling from what had gone on in the barn. She had just accepted a date with a man she had just sold a horse to. Strange as it was, there was something oddly familiar about him, like she had met him before, but for the life of her, she couldn't quite remember where or when. Still, he did seem familiar to her.

"So, how did it go?"

Jenna's question brought her back to reality somewhat. "It went...fairly well. He bought Phantom."

"The horse you rescued recently?" said Jenna. "But, he doesn't take to strangers."

"Well, he made an exception this time," said Elena. "Damon seems to really know what he's doing, and he's very gentle, so Phantom let him touch his nose." She sighed as she sat in the chairs in the kitchen. "In addition to that, he asked me to have dinner with him tomorrow night at his mansion."

"He did?" said Jenna. "Well, sounds to me like someone was on a roll."

Elena nodded. "Yeah, and I can't help but get the feeling like I've met him before. I don't know, there's something about him that's familiar about him, but for the life of me, I can't quite put my finger on it."

"Maybe you guys crossed paths a long time ago, and you just don't remember."

"Maybe," said Elena. "But, it's going to bother me that I can't remember when I met him." She played with the ends of her hair. "I couldn't have _dated_ him, because I just accepted a date from him today, and I'm pretty sure that he's had a girlfriend or two before this."

"Well, whenever you guys met, I'm sure it'll come back to you," said Jenna. "I mean, come on, the guy's gorgeous and loaded. Who could forget meeting a guy like _that_? _I_ sure as hell wouldn't."

Elena raised an eyebrow at her aunt. "This coming from the woman who put up with Logan Fell and his bullshit."

"Now, that's a guy I've forgotten about," said Jenna. "I'm dating Alaric Saltzman now, and he's ten times the man that asshole could ever dream of becoming." She sighed. "Besides, I thought we weren't talking about me?"

"You brought up the fact that you wouldn't forget meeting a guy like Damon Salvatore."

"To prove a point," said Jenna. "In any case, Elena, it's bound to dawn on you that you had a chance meeting with Damon at some point in your life. Maybe it'll happen when you're at his mansion, or maybe it won't. Even if it doesn't, you deserve a night of fun. Hell, _Jeremy_ takes advantage of it."

"_Jeremy_ split town after Mom and Dad died." Elena sighed as she said that. She remembered that day all to well. Jeremy got on a motorcycle and sped away, never to be seen or heard from again. Elena never quite understood why he'd suddenly leave, but she was sure he had his reasons.

"Oh, yeah, that's right, I forgot about that," said Jenna. "But, like I said, you deserve to have fun. The ranch will still be here when you get home."

Elena nodded. "Yeah, it will."

She sighed again and thought about the evening that Damon was no doubt planning for them, and wondering if she would remember meeting him previously.

_**Note: Yeah, Damon and Elena met once before, when they were younger, but Elena doesn't remember. Not yet, anyway. I promise, she'll remember during the course of the evening at the Salvatore mansion. Stay tuned!**_

_**ENJOY THE UPDATE AND REMEMBER TO REVIEW!**_


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Vampire Diaries. I'm just borrowing.**

_**Note: Previously, in "Take a Chance on Me," Damon tells Stefan that he has invited Elena over for dinner the next evening, and it is revealed that they've met before, only Elena doesn't remember.**_

_**Thank you for the great reviews so far! You guys are awesome!**_

_Gilbert Ranch – Next Evening..._

Elena fixed her make-up as she looked in the mirror. She was wearing a navy blue dress with matching pumps, and her hair was loose and curly. To be honest, she hoped that she wasn't making too big a deal of this, since it was only dinner. Then again, she had no way of knowing what Damon did on dates, so she told herself to just look pretty and try not to be nervous.

Once she was ready, Elena headed downstairs, where Jenna was sitting in the kitchen. When she saw her niece, she smiled.

"You look beautiful, Elena."

Elena returned her aunt's smile. "I'm a little nervous, though." She sighed. "Should I cancel?"

"You will do no such thing," said Jenna. "Besides, Phantom is already loaded into his trailer. And I'm pretty sure Damon has his new stall already set up for him, so it would be a shame to go back on your word."

Elena wanted to protest, but knew she was right. It wouldn't be good business practice to go back on her word after making a successful sale. Her father had always tried to instill the principles he used in his children and right at moment, she remembered something he had told her when she was in high school:

"_A good businessman never goes back on his word once a deal is made. It will make not only him look bad, but the customer will feel he has been cheated."_

Elena shook her head and then looked at Jenna. "You're right, I should go. Who knows? I might have a good time for once." She sighed again and smiled. "Well, wish me luck, Jenna."

"Good luck, Elena. And it doesn't matter what time you come home. I'll have the front porch light on all night."

Elena nodded and, after giving Jenna a hug good-bye, hurried out of the house.

_Salvatore Mansion, Salvatore Ranch – Half an Hour Later..._

Elena felt small as she pulled the truck into the driveway of the Salvatore mansion. The property itself looked like it could belong to a king, or even a foreign dignitary. Then again, Damon seemed like the kind of guy who could afford it. Hell, he could afford just about anything his heart desired, and it made her wonder if any of the other women he dated felt the way she was feeling right now.

Taking a deep breath, Elena climbed out of the truck and closed the door. She then saw a young man approaching her. Judging from his attire, he seemed to be one of the people who worked on the ranch.

"You must be Elena," he said. "Mr. Damon said you'd be coming."

Elena nodded. "I am." She tilted her head curiously. "And you are..."

"Brady. I'm one of Mr. Damon's ranch hands. He told me that he was expecting a delivery tonight. A black stallion, was it?"

"Oh, yes, that's right," said Elena. "He told me to bring him with me when I came tonight. See, we had plans tonight for dinner, which you can plainly see from what I'm wearing." She sighed. "So, do you need any help getting him unloaded?"

"No, ma'am, I've got it," said Brady. "Mr. Damon wouldn't like it if you were to get your dress dirty. Wouldn't want to show up for dinner looking like you've just competed in a game of tug of war, right?"

Elena laughed a bit at what Brady said, but didn't comment as she then left him to do his work. As she walked up the walkway to the front door, Elena tried to stop her hands from shaking. She couldn't believe that she was getting into a fret over this.

_Stay calm, Elena, you're okay,_ she thought. _You're just having dinner with Damon. It's not like he's going to propose to you or anything._

By the time she finished that thought, she was at the front door. Exhaling through her nose, she knocked to announce her arrival. Thankfully, she didn't have to wait too long because the door opened and Damon appeared.

"Good evening, Elena." He smiled at her. "Wow, you look beautiful."

Elena smiled as well, blushing just a little. "Thank you."

"Hey, what are you blushing for?" said Damon. "I mean it, you look beautiful."

"Oh, I know you meant it," said Elena. "I just...wasn't expecting you to ask me out yesterday. I just figured it would be a routine sale."

Damon smiled again and, taking her hand, led her inside. As they walked through the foyer, he looked at her again and lifted her hand, kissing her knuckles, marveling at how beautiful she looked in that dress she was wearing, ignoring the hard erection he was getting.

Elena looked all around at the décor of the mansion. It was just as prestigious on the inside as it was on the outside. It also seemed familiar to her and she tried to figure out when she had been here before. She was still trying to figure it out when they got to the dining room, where Damon pulled out a chair for her, helping her into it like the gentleman he was brought up to be.

Clearing his throat, he said, "So, did Brady meet you? I gave him instructions to meet you as soon as you pulled in."

Elena nodded. "Yes, as a matter of fact, he did. He was very polite."

"Good, that's what I wanted to know," said Damon. "I expect my employees to be courteous when people come to the ranch, whether it be for business or for something like this. Anything less than that is grounds for termination."

Elena nodded again. She'd say this for Damon, he certainly knew how to run things, and there was no doubt that the ranch hands respected him and therefore, made it a point to put effort into their tasks. Damon then went to his chair just as the food was being served.

"Hope you like Italian."

"Oh, I love it, thank you," said Elena. "I eat it occasionally." She tilted her head. "Damon, you really didn't have to go to all this trouble. I know that you wanted me to have dinner with you, but I wasn't expecting you to have your kitchen staff prepare a feast."

"I wanted tonight to be special," said Damon. "I know it may seem a little too much, but you deserve nothing but the best and that's what you'll get."

Elena blinked and said nothing further as she began to eat the veal Bolognese that was set before her. It was delicious, no question about it. Damon certainly had a talented chef working for him, especially if the food practically melted in your mouth.

_After Dinner..._

Damon still couldn't get over how beautiful Elena was as he watched her eat her chocolate gelato. He wasn't kidding when he told Stefan she was an angel. Hell, she probably rivaled all the angels in the heavens.

Just then, he got up, went over to her, and extended his hand to her. "Come with me. I want to show you something."

Elena scowled at him. "What did you want to show me?"

"You'll see," said Damon. "Just come with me."

Still not sure what he wanted to show her, Elena took his hand and let him lead her into the parlor. When they got there, he had her stand in the middle of the room while he went to the stereo and put on some music, returning to her and bowing.

"May I have this dance, my lady?"

Elena smiled. "You may, good sir."

Damon smiled back and pulled her into his arms and held her close as they swayed to the music. Elena felt her heart hammer as she continued to dance with him. Without warning, she felt something going through her, like an electric current, only not quite as strong.

_The party seemed to be in full swing as Elena sat at the table with the other children. She didn't even know why her family had even been invited to such a party, since she hardly knew anyone other than Jeremy. She sighed and played with the ends of one of her braids, hoping that would occupy her._

"_Excuse me, but would you like to dance?"_

_Elena was startled by a voice next to her and looked to see a boy of about fourteen standing there, his blue eyes sparkling. Although she wasn't expecting this, Elena decided to be polite and dance with him. What harm could it do? Besides, she'll probably never see this boy again._

"_Okay, sure."_

_The boy smiled and helped her out of her chair, leading her to the dance floor, where he held her close to him as they swayed to the music. Despite not knowing him from Adam, Elena felt safe in his arms, like she belonged in them._

"_You're not that bad a dancer."_

_The boy smiled again. "Thanks. Father says that a gentleman has to know how to dance with a lady." He chuckled. "But, you must think I was rude for not telling you my name. I'm Damon Salvatore."_

_Elena smiled as he told her his name. "I'm Elena Gilbert."_

"_Nice to meet you, Elena," said Damon. "I'm sorry that the party is such a drag. Father insisted on inviting people he does business with, and your family was among those on the guest list. He's grooming me to be his successor, and therefore, I am being forced to learn everything there is to know about breeding and training horses."_

"_Interesting," said Elena. "And how do you feel about that, Damon?"_

"_I hate it," said Damon. "The old bastard is expecting me to grow up. I'm fourteen, damn it, and I should at least be allowed to _be_ fourteen, and not thirty."_

"_Have you tried telling your dad this?"_

"_Yeah, a hell of a lot of good that's going to do," said Damon. "Nobody tries to make Guiseppe Salvatore change his mind once he's got it set on something." He sighed. "I'm sorry, Elena, I don't mean to bore you with my history."_

"_It's okay, really," said Elena. "At least I know a little bit more about you. But, can I just give you some advice?"_

_Damon hesitated, not sure what she was going to say. However, his curiosity was pigued. "Shoot."_

"_Don't let him get you down," said Elena. "I may not know you that well, but I have a feeling that you'll be a better business man than your father."_

_Damon smiled. "Gee, thanks, Elena. I'll think about it."_

Damon noticed that Elena was quiet. "Elena, what is it? Are you okay?"

"I...I remember dancing with you before," she said. "Fourteen years ago, at a party that my family was invited to. In fact, when I met you yesterday, I knew that there was something very familiar about you, but I didn't know what until now."

Damon nodded. "I remember that too. You were about eight years old, and you were wearing this little red dress and your hair was in two braids tied with these pretty red bows. I came up to you and asked you to dance because you looked so bored at the table."

Elena said nothing, just nodded as well. Who'd have guessed that dancing with Damon would be enough to trigger a memory like that?

"Damon, I..."

She never got to finish, because she was silenced by a scorching kiss as Damon's lips met hers. After a moment of hesitation, she returned the kiss, moaning against his mouth as their tongues collided. Shit, he was an excellent kisser, she'd give him that. _Wait until I tell Jenna about this tomorrow._

_**Note: Yeah, I know, cliffhanger, but I didn't know what else to put here. Big update, though, huh? And Elena remembered, which is what I set out to do. Stay tuned!**_

_**ENJOY THE UPDATE AND REMEMBER TO REVIEW!**_


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Vampire Diaries. I'm just borrowing.**

_**Note: Previously, in "Take a Chance on Me," Elena goes to Damon's mansion for dinner and, while they dance in the study, she remembers meeting him when she was eight years old and they share a passionate kiss.**_

_**Thank you for your reviews so far! You guys are awesome!**_

_Gilbert Ranch – Next Day..._

Elena yawned and stretched as she woke up the next morning. By the time she got home from Damon's last night, it was late and, without a word to Jenna, she had gone straight to bed. She licked her lips and shivered as she remembered the kiss, as well as the dance that triggered the memory of the party she had gone to fourteen years ago, which had been the first time she and Damon officially met.

How could she have forgotten that? True, it was quite a long time ago and they hadn't seen each other since then, but to completely forget an innocent memory? Elena shook her head, got some clean clothes, and headed into the bathroom. She then turned on the water, stripped, and stepped into the shower, letting the water cascade down her body and closed her eyes as she wet her hair.

Elena then felt her breasts getting heavy and a moisture between her legs as she was hit by a fantasy that she never thought she'd have. Damon was standing behind her, arms wrapped possessively around her waist as he kissed her neck and moved up to nibble on her ear as he caressed her every curve. Elena shivered at this and when she turned around to kiss him, she didn't see anyone else there.

"Damon?"

No answer. He hadn't really been there. It had all been the fantasy she just had. What the hell was wrong with her? She only spent one evening in that man's presence and she was already fantasizing about being in the shower with him.

Once she was finished with the shower, Elena stepped out and dried off, getting into the dark blue jeans and blouse she picked out. Her hair was half tied back and half loose, bouncing on her back as she made her way downstairs to the kitchen.

Jenna, who had been reading the paper when her niece entered, looked up from the Business section. "You certainly went to bed in a hurry last night. I wanted to know all the gory details about your dinner with Damon and you never said a word."

Elena sighed as she grabbed a plate and helped herself to some pancakes. "Sorry, Jenna. I didn't mean anything by it."

"I know you didn't," said Jenna. "But, I would like to know what went down."

"I had an amazing time," said Elena. "Everything was wonderful, including the Italian dinner that Damon had his kitchen staff prepare. I was completely blown away, Jenna."

"It certainly seems that way," said Jenna. "What happened after dinner?"

"He led me into the parlor, where he turned on some music and we danced," said Elena. "While we were dancing, I had this flashback to a party my parents attended at the Salvatore mansion fourteen years ago." Her eyes widened. "That's when I first met him, at that party. I was eight, he was fourteen, and he asked me to dance. I said yes, of course, to be polite. Who'd have guessed that something as simple as a dance could trigger a memory like that."

"I knew you two crossed paths before," said Jenna. "Well, I'm glad that you remembered it." She smiled. "So, what happened after that?"

"We kissed."

"You kissed?" said Jenna. "Oh my God, do you realize what this_ means_, Elena? The man is in love with you, and he wants you to return his feelings. Why else do you think he prepared that romantic dinner and then asked you to dance, which led up to the kiss?"

Elena blinked. She couldn't believe it. Damon was in love with her? How could that be possible when they hadn't seen or spoken to each other in fourteen years since their encounter at the party? "Do...you think I should pursue this? I mean, actually return Damon's feelings?"

"That I can't tell you," said Jenna. "The decision is entirely up to you."

Elena nodded. Jenna was right, the decision was up to her. Though, judging from the fantasy she had in the shower, it was obvious that she was falling for Damon after the wonderful time he showed her last night. The question was, how was she going to approach it?

_Salvatore Mansion – That Same Moment..._

Damon hummed to himself as he read the paper. He was reliving the evening he and Elena spent together and as he licked his lips, he could still taste the sweetness of the kiss. Tasting Elena's lips had been like heaven, and in that moment, Damon was in love, and with the most beautiful woman in Mystic Falls.

Stefan noticed his brother's behavior as he walked into the dining room. "I take it things went well last night?"

Damon looked up from the paper. "Yes, Stefan, things went very well. In fact, Elena remembers meeting me at the party. If you're curious, the memory was triggered when we were dancing in the parlor."

"That's all it took, huh? Just one dance?" said Stefan. "Wow, I'm impressed."

Damon smiled. "As I knew you'd be, brother." He sighed. "I even kissed her. My God, her lips were like heaven to taste, and it was amazing. Stefan, I think I'm falling in love with her."

"After one date, you're already in love?" said Stefan. "Shit, Damon, you waste no time, do you?"

"Life is too short to waste time," said Damon. "I want to pursue this. Hell, I _need_ to pursue this. Elena is the woman I've waited my whole life for, I know that now, and I'm going to keep seeing her, get her to see how much I love her. Then, after a period of courtship, I intend to make her Mrs. Damon Salvatore."

Stefan raised an eyebrow. "Isn't that what you wanted to do with _Caroline_ when you were dating her?"

"What does that have to do with Elena?"

"Nothing," said Stefan. "It's just that you made those exact same plans when you were with Caroline, but you guys didn't last that long together. And now, she's engaged to someone else."

"Stefan, that was college," said Damon. "We've both moved on." He sighed. "Anyway, that's beside the point. I've found my soul mate here, and I'm in this for the long haul. You'll see, brother, this is the real thing."

Stefan nodded, sitting down at the table. "Well, I wish you luck in pursuing Elena, Damon."

Damon sipped his coffee. "I probably won't need it, but I appreciate it nonetheless. Wait and see, Stefan, soon Elena will be a permanent resident of this mansion, and you'll see us sitting at this table together, dressed only in our bathrobes."

"You're saying that because you saw me and Katherine like that two weeks ago."

"Still, it paints a pretty picture."

_**Note: Here you go, an update from moi. Stay tuned!**_

_**ENJOY THE UPDATE AND REMEMBER TO REVIEW!**_


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Vampire Diaries. I'm just borrowing.**

_**Note: Previously, in "Take a Chance on Me," Elena tells Jenna about her evening with Damon, and Damon tells Stefan about his evening with Elena.**_

_**I apologize for the delay in updates, I've been working on other stuff. Anyway, thank you for reviews! I came up with the idea for this while on vacation, oddly enough.**_

_Gilbert Ranch – 2 Weeks Later..._

It had been two weeks since the wonderful evening at the Salvatore mansion, and Elena found herself unable to focus on much of anything. Shit, Damon must've really been a great kisser if he was haunting her every thought. Then again, this was her first kiss since high school, so it was only natural that a thousand thoughts were racing through her head right now. She was still thinking about it when she was startled out of her reverie by her cell phone going off. Curious as to who would be calling her, she picked it up and, looking at the screen, she saw Damon's name on the ID.

Not sure why he was calling, but dying to know anyway, she pressed "Send" and placed it by her ear.

"Hello?"

"Hey, gorgeous. It's Damon."

"You didn't have to tell me," said Elena. "Your name popped up on the ID screen." She sighed. "So, what do I owe the honor of this call, Damon?"

"I was wondering if you'd like to go riding with me," said Damon. "I wanted to take Phantom for a test ride and see how he handles having a rider on his back. Also, I need an excuse to see you because I can't get your face out of my head since our evening together two weeks ago."

"You know, it's funny that you should mention that," said Elena. "I've been thinking about it as well." She ran a hand through her hair. "Okay, I guess I could go riding with you. Is it just going to be us or will there be others joining us?"

"It'll be just us, but my brother and his girlfriend will be observing from the sidelines. I hope you don't mind having an audience."

"No, not at all," said Elena. "When is this ride of ours going to take place?"

"Would this afternoon be too short a notice?"

Elena blinked. Seriously? He wanted to go riding this afternoon? While she was tempted to yell at him for it, she decided not to. After all, he did sound apologetic, so there was no need to chew him out.

Sighing, she said, "Okay, I'll be there this afternoon with Christine, my buckskin mare. I've been wanting to test her out against Phantom for a while now, but you bought him from me before I got the chance to."

"Well, then I guess it's good that I arranged the ride," said Damon. "I'll see you later, Elena."

Elena hung up and then looked at the clock on the wall. It was only about 11:30, which gave her plenty of time to get her riding gear together, as well as get Christine saddled and loaded onto her trailer.

_So, Damon's brother and his girlfriend will be observing us, huh? Well, I suppose it will be okay to have an audience. I mean, Jenna was willing to be there if I had the opportunity to test Phantom out against Christine while he was still here at the Gilbert Ranch. Though, I can't help but wonder if Damon's brother was at the party fourteen years ago as well. I guess I'll find out soon enough._

_**Note: I know, cliffhangers are evil, but I promise that I will include the ride in the next chapter. Until then, stay tuned!**_

_**ENJOY THE UPDATE AND REMEMBER TO REVIEW!**_


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Vampire Diaries. I'm just borrowing.**

_**Note: Previously, in "Take a Chance on Me," Damon invites Elena to go riding with him.**_

_**Thank you for the great reviews! A special thanks also to taekwongirl360 for motivating me to update this bad boy. Thanks, my friend!**_

_**ON WITH THE SHOW!**_

_Salvatore Mansion, Salvatore Ranch – That Afternoon..._

Katherine Pierce giggled as she felt Stefan kissing her neck. She had come over a few minutes ago and had been attacked by her boyfriend and his affections. She ran her fingers through his hair and then brought her lips to his, kissing him passionately. Although she knew that they'd probably catch hell from Damon for this, neither one gave a shit.

They were still at it when Damon walked in, dressed in his riding outfit. He saw what Stefan and Katherine were doing and rolled his eyes. Honestly, did those two have to make out like that? Couldn't they do that in a more private setting?

"All right, Romeo and Juliet, cut it out."

Katherine broke the kiss and smirked at Damon. "Hello, Damon. You're more than welcome to join us if you want. I'm always looking to experiment."

"I'm going to put that suggestion into the 'No chance in hell' file," said Damon. "Besides, I'm spoken for."

Katherine pouted. "Oh, come on, it'll be fun."

"That's enough, Katherine," said Stefan. "Damon already said he wasn't interested."

"I know. I was just playing around." Katherine looked at Damon. "So, what's this I hear about you being spoken for? What's her name? Anyone I know?"

"Her name is Elena Gilbert," said Damon. "And no, you don't know her. She's a very special young lady that I knew from way back when and, without realizing it, we found our way back to each other. She's coming to test her horse against the one I bought from her. That and I needed an excuse to see her again."

"Is she beautiful?"

"Her beauty rivals the angels in the heavens," said Damon. "I could drown in it." He then saw the truck and trailer from Gilbert Ranch pull up outside the front window. "That'll be her now." As he went to the door, he added, "I expect the two of you to behave yourselves. I told Elena that you'd be observing our ride today and I'd appreciate it if you didn't embarrass me."

"We'll behave," said Stefan. "We know how important this is to you." He looked at Katherine. "Right, Katherine?"

"Oh, yes, definitely," said Katherine. "Just make like we're not here."

_I wish I could, but the way you two go at it like rabbits, it's easier said than done,_ Damon thought. He was tempted to voice that thought, but decided against it. With that, he walked out in time to see Elena stepping out of the trailer, leading a beautiful buckskin mare with her. _That must be Christine. Damn, that is one beautiful horse. Imagine the foal that would result if I were breed her with Phantom._

"Hey, Elena."

Elena smiled. "Hi. Am I early?"

"You're right on time, actually," said Damon. "I was just about to tell Brady to bring Phantom out." He looked at Christine again. "She's beautiful."

"Thank you," said Elena. "I've had her since my parents died. She's been my best friend through everything." She noticed two people coming out of the mansion. "I take it that's our audience for today? They look like they just finished a round of sex."

"Yes, that's our audience." He presented Stefan and Katherine to Elena. "Stefan, Katherine, this is Elena. Elena, I'd like you to meet my brother, Stefan, and his girlfriend, Katherine Pierce."

Elena blinked when she saw Katherine. Shit, how could two different women look so much alike? It had to be a coincidence. Unless, of course, they were identical twins that were separated at birth and raised by different families.

"Nice to meet you."

Katherine smiled. "Likewise. We've heard a lot about you from Damon. From what he's told us, you've made quite an impression on him."

Elena was about to ask what she meant, but shook her head, thinking it was probably best not to be nosy. "So, where are we having the test ride?"

"There's a field near the stables that's suitable," said Damon. "Father and I used to go riding there every day when I was younger. It's got plenty of room for a full gallop." He smiled at Elena. "That is, if you'd rather stick to a trot or a canter."

"I'm not afraid, Damon, if that's what you mean," said Elena. "I can handle it."

Not giving Damon a chance to reply, she led Christine away toward the field in question. Brady brought Phantom out shortly after, and Damon took the reins, leading the stallion along behind him. Stefan and Katherine followed them, hand in hand, obviously curious about what was going to happen.

Once at the field, Elena climbed up onto Christine's saddle and trotted around a bit, getting a feel of the place. It was indeed very spacious and the scenery was just amazing. Damon then climbed up onto Phantom's saddle, patting him gently on the neck to let him know that he was there, and trotted over to Elena and Christine, who were waiting for them.

"Okay," he said. "How about we make this interesting?"

"Interesting?"

"Yeah," said Damon. "We'll have a race." He pointed to a tree a good ten miles away from them. "We'll go to that tree, turn around and come back to the fence."

"I think I can do that," said Elena. "But, just so we're clear, I'm very competitive."

Damon smiled. "So am I." He then saw that Phantom was pawing the ground with his hoof. "Looks like my friend here is telling me that he wants to go. It would be rude to deny him this opportunity. What do you say, Elena? Think you can race me?"

"I say, bring it on."

Damon smiled again. "Okay, on the count of three. One...two...three!" He nudged Phantom with his heels. "Hup, boy!"

Phantom obeyed and took off. Elena nudged Christine and the mare took off after the stallion. For the most part, both horses were evenly matched. Damon saw that Elena was gaining and urged Phantom to go faster and he obeyed Damon's command. Elena urged Christine to do the same, not about to be outdone.

Seeing that Elena was a very capable rider, Damon decided to have a little fun. While Phantom was still galloping, he raised himself up in the saddle, climbed out of the stirrups and stood on top of the saddle, still gripping the reins with his hands. Elena saw what he was doing and didn't exactly like it. Shit, what the hell was he was thinking?

"Damon, what the hell are you trying to do?" she called to him. "You're going to get hurt like that."

Damon heard her, and carefully sat back down in saddle. Once there, he kept one hand firmly on the reins and threw his fist in the air, as though proclaiming a victory. Elena didn't understand any of this at all. If he was trying to impress her, he was doing a good job of it. Part of her was impressed, and the other part thought he was crazy.

The two horses then circled around the tree and were now making their way toward the fence. Damon picked up some more speed, Elena following suit half a beat later.

From their spot near the gate, Stefan and Katherine saw what went on and even though they didn't know what possessed Damon to do what he did, they were impressed. It wasn't long before the horses were nearing the finish. Although both horses were equally fast, Christine had come out the winner. Elena patted the mare's neck, proud of her for a job well done.

_**Note: My thought process is shot to hell and I can't put anything more here. Stay tuned!**_

_**ENJOY THE UPDATE AND REMEMBER TO REVIEW!**_

_**P.S. Thank you again to taekwongirl360 for her motivation. **_


End file.
